I've got one hand in my pocket and the other is wearing a white glove.

I received quite a few text messages today telling me that Michael Jackson passed away. He was 50 years old.

Michael Jackson was unstoppable Thriller became the biggest selling album of all time and he was the first black artist to find stardom on MTV, breaking down innumerable boundaries both for his race and for music videos as an art form. For someone like me, who was (and maybe still is) in love with videos, he was one of the first people I started watching in music videos. Later in his career, most of the media's attention focused on his increasingly bizarre eccentricities. The Neverland Ranch, Bubbles the monkey. Jackson was accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy. Although he categorically denied the charges, his out of court settlement failed to restore his tarnished image. He never quite escaped the stigma of those allegations, and while he continued to sell records at superstarlevels, he didn't release them with enough frequency to once again become better known for his music than his private life. Even so, Jackson always remained bigger than life. And when I think of him, only fondness comes to mind. And a soft picture of him wearing a light yellow sweater on the cover of his album.

I am a big fan of his music, of course. I don't even know what to say about this. He was getting in shape for a concert tour, but suddenly passed away. They haven't yet confirmed what the cause of death was. Cardiac arrest has been mentioned. Favorite Jackson song? There are a few. In no particular order:

Beat it
Billie Jean
Will you be there?
Thriller
Heal the world
PYT (Pretty Young Thing)
The way you make me feel (I love the snapping in the video)

I guess I don't know what to say because I only have good feelings when I think about Micheal Jackson. Even with all the odd reports and court settlements. My earliest music memories of my life soundtrack can be triggered with Micheal Jackson songs. I remember buying the Thriller tape at the music store in West Edmonton Mall when I was 12. I played it over and over. I got the Faith tape by George Micheal the same day. I was kinda hoping that he would make some more music and possibly tour Canada. It's kinda like Elvis for my generation. Michael Jackson's music is something I will listen to and remember. And I will dance. Like Michael. God must have cool music in Heaven. Hopefully I will get to listen to it in person one day.